Plane crashes on Lake Russell shore, two died

Two confirmed deaths from a single-engine plane which witnesses said had engine trouble Saturday morning before crashing next to their fishing boat in a cove on Lake Russell in Abbeville County. Abbeville County emergency workers traveled by boat from Harpers Ferry boat landing to assist county, state, and federal agencies at the site closed off to bystanders.

An Abbeville County Dive Team search and recovery boat and an Abbeville County Fire Department boat leave the Harpers Ferry boat landing on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist with emergency response after a single-engine airplane crashed into the lake.

Lt. Wes Barnes, left, of the Anderson City Police and Jason Turner of Anderson talk about how a small plane missed hitting their fishing boat by 20 yards. The plane crashed near Harpers Ferry boat landing on Lake Russell in Abbeville County, killing two people.

Lt. Wes Barnes, left, of Anderson, and Jason Turner, right, of Anderson talk about how the small plane avoided missing their fishing boat by 20 yards Saturday morning 11:06 a.m. during a Carolina Hookers Bass Fishing Tournament near Harpers Ferry boat landing on Lake Russell in Abbeville County. "If he would have not rolled over (falling toward the boat), he would have come close enough to kill us.," Turner said.

A News Channel 7 WSPA helicopter flies over Lake Russell where a small single-engine plane crashed.

Abbeville County Dive Team, Search and Recorvery boat and an Abbeville County Fire Department boat leave the Harpers Ferry boat landing Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist county, state, and federal agencies where a plane crashed.

Abbeville County Fire Department boat leaves the Harpers Ferry boat landing Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist county, state, and federal agencies where a plane crashed.

Abbeville County Dive Team, Search and Recorvery parks with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at Harpers Ferry boat landing Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist county, state, and federal agencies where a small single-engin plane crashed.

A crowd of bystanders mix in with members of the Abbeville County Dive Team, Search and Recorvery team before launching from Harpers Ferry boat landing Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County.

Abbeville County Dive Team, Search and Recorvery boat launches Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist county, state, and federal agencies where a plane crashed.

A man driving a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources truck turns into a road check point near a command center Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist other county, state, and federal agencies where a plane crashed.

Abbeville County volunteer firefighters stand near a blocked road leading to a command center Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County. A variety of emergency workers from Anderson County came to assist Abbeville county, state, and federal workers where a plane crashed.

Abbeville County Dive Team, Search and Recorvery boat gets ready to leave the Harpers Ferry boat landing Saturday on Lake Russell in Abbeville County to assist county, state, and federal agencies where a plane crashed.

The wreckage of a small airplane that crashed Saturday morning on Lake Russell in Abbeville County.

Submitted photo

Abbeville County volunteer firefighters including Jacob Ertzberger load up the Abbeville County Dive Team boat Saturday at Harpers Ferry Boat Landing.

Broken police tape is tied to a pine tree near the shoreline Sunday morning after FAA and other emergency removed the single-engine aircraft from Lake Russell in Abbeville County.

Glass, plastic, and metal pieces lay on the shoreline Sunday morning after FAA and other emergency removed the single-engine aircraft from Lake Russell in Abbeville County.

A piece of material lays on the shoreline Sunday morning after FAA and other emergency removed the single-engine aircraft from Lake Russell in Abbeville County.